Rubber ball and socket joint



Aug. 11, 1942. L, H Y I 2,292,675

RUBBER BALL AND sdcxn'f JOINT Filed Mayor: 17 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVETOR Jean 7? 7' fiz'r g A ORNEYS.

Aug. 11, 1942. m, 4m I $292,675

" RUBBER BALL Am) SOCKET JOINT Filed March 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR v z rz'ry a 1 5 A RNEYs. r A

tween theball and I shaft assemblies.

' Patented Aug. 11, 1942 Montcl'air;

' Amaz s March 17,1941,-se huiio;383,699

l4c ims (ci. zszss) 1 n. W Fig; :15 a view sir'nilarj to Fig; 1 showing 'an- The" presentlfinvention relates; to joints; and a;

- nartielilarly' to improvements infball andsocket type' an'd tothe method of makinglsuch: joints.'; One of theprima'ry objects of the present V-in-;.

vention'fis to provide improvements in ball and soekt uemts' in: which a? flexible Or elastic insert;

preferably bf a flexible or elastic. r-iibben; is dis-. 1"

posed between the ball and .the socket casing and in which all relative movements between the ball andthe' socket-are taken ,by the dlexing or; elastic Qprbperties 011 the rubber insert; rather ultimat'elycausefailure.

wliich-',the 'defor'lnable rubber inserti has such a- "otheriobject 0f theinventioniigto nrovide improvementsin the type of joint mentioned in than yan abmsiv wiping-action whichwould predetermined initial shape that when i aas'seme 3 fl'ex'iri'g properties-cr meinserha;

Another object oi the invention is to nrovide improved jniethod of forming 'joints n! the bled iit deformed} sufficiently" initheproper;

iacee'so that-3fall"oif-v the relativemovements be;- I

the socket' ar taken by. the

type 3 mentioned ini'whieh theparts ar ,so;assemhie-fa", that- 'theg pber insert-isbrdperlyloeatedj and sufllciently deformed to give theprop'er. flex- 1 m8- f p is ""in" the assembled article} f -Anotherfcbject or the present invention as to 5 provide improvements in V 'universal; joint eonstructions, such as those assembled element, which includes a rubber inember, used in i a universal {joint construction tially along the line 18?: "OfFig; '1;

othenmbdifled form or the present invention;

73 l vational view ofa universal Joint donsmwuon embodying features of the p e f i n I nv ti w Fig. 921 a enlarged .ci'ossfctionalview, 'with parts in elevation, of; onejof the links in Figs. 7 and 8, showing suqh in its asszx'iiation with 1 thevplatemenibers;

WI I Fig.1! is across-, 'seetional vifi': taken substan- Fig. 10. is: diagrammatic view. illustrating ,novelmethod of accurately the proper length: and,

structure or Fig.7

r m snsn ms, a

Figall is an rtiallview of another form of f assembly whichmaybe employed with: the

' The am offthe present invention-is partieu- P larlyluseful in' thej automotive fleld particularly yin Lthe constillction of jointsiused'ins'hock vab'-' Y sorbers 'sway eliminationtlinkages, steering con-' nections, tie rods, '01 thelil'ce. It is, however, to j be'iunderstopd that such Joints also havefother uses, aswilli-be appreciated by those skilled in the with respect to the member lfl and has a socket ringft'o the drawing;and-'partieiilarly to Figs. *1 to 13 thereof, in which vone. e'mbodim'ent of applicant's invention is illustrated, a joint is? shown, which comprises 'a rigid link meinber Ill} havinga b'allhead I2 integrally formed thereon; Another link'member fl' is disposed at an angle a substantially straight annularportion 20 hav ing a window 22 iormed therein, if Intthe embodinent. illustrated, the member In is shown atsubparent from; the iollowlng sneciflcatiomyithe Q s an i l varie angle i b .t0-th di'awings relating{thereto and: I o i t laim 50" her It" with the Y axis or, th socket. substantially herelnaftersetforthd a aligned wifih' heaxisoftheimemberlmn da the d'" "w s; ini-which-like numerals: are s t y} r g ngle to theh iiis 0f the 'iisedito aesignate like parts" i the several .viewS ber 14; in 1517.0 be un er too h w that th oughout} n such"mem' firs may dispose #V'difier nf *mmei is "a sideelevational view with parts n l or m yb li nm t. ,fr m' ha wn angl -that the axis -of' the socket xnayz alsobe changed, depending ,upon the requirements f of so" as to compensate ior- -the -tolerjanceflinthe formation of the rubber and metal nieinbfersx Other objectsoi the invention will become. ape

45 in crdssj-section-showingthe elementsof the Joint beiore'assembly;'

Fig. 5 is a. view similarto Fig..

joint of FlgAin itsfinal-form;

* "Fig; 2' is a view; similar to Fig; 1, showinggthe parts -ln an, intermediate stage of assemblyr f )3 is a similar view showingf-theiparts as-.

- "sembledintheiinalarticleyg; V M

Fig.4 is a view'similar to Fig. 1 showing a vmodiiiedform of the present'invention;

3-vshowingithe 5 bartieular applications of the presentiinv ention. Such changes in angulan relationship. areconside ered to, be'detail; ieatures o1 design requireinents,

Such projection 32 tained.

space. In its free state, the insert 24 is supshaped and is preferably formed with a generally semi-spherical outer surface 26 terminating adiacent the lip in a substantially straight portion 28, so that such cup is generally complementary to the shape of the socket.

An opening 30 is preferably provided through the bottom of the socket; and a projection 32 of complementary shape is formed on the outside surface of the insert Zl, at the bottom thereof. is adapted to be received within the aperture 30 for the purpose'of centering and properly positioning the insert 24 with respect to the socket. If desired, the inner corner of the aperture 30 may be tapered and the outer corner of the projection 32 may also be 1 tapered so as to assist in positioning the. insert. The radial thickness of the insert 24 in its free state is predetermined with respect to the space between the ball head and the socket so that such radial thickness is greater adjacent the lip and sides of the insert than at the bottom thereof, and is greater than the radial dimensions assembled space.

In the. embodiment illustrated, the elements are assembled by placing the insert 24 in the socket as shownin Fig. 1. The adjacent surfaces of the ballhead, the insert and the socket are preferably lubricated with material such as soapy water" or Vaseline which will disappear between the surfaces in contact after a short time. The

ball head I! is then forced into the recess 34 of the cup-shaped insert to a tion shown in Fig. 2. In so doing, a high speed assembly should be followed so that the head strikes the recess at a high speed, in order to facilitate the flow of the rubber. ltgis preferablethat the force be a percussion force which may be the approximate posiapplied to the ball head while holding the socket stationary, or be applied to the socket while holding the ball headstationary; In so forcing the ball head l2 into the recess. the center of the ball may be forced slightly beyond'the normal center line 36 of the socket, or to suchcenter line; so that the insert is deformedv in the following that .the element The article is then completed by spinning the annular portion 20 of'the socket from the shape shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. In so pinn s force is preferably applied progressively outwardlytoward the window from aposition substantially at the center line 38. In this way, insert 24 is further expanded or elongated by radialcompression so that the insert moves further around the surface of the 'ball toward the base thereof and toward the window '22. It is preferable that the insert 2 be so elongated that the lip "of the insert lies as close to the edge of the window 22 as possible. Also, the area of contact between the tuner surface of the insert andthe outer surface of the ball is at a maximum so that the greatest grip therebetween is ob.-

The elongation of the insert 24 around the ball head isgreatest adiacentth'e lip 38 of the insert or adjacent the window 22 ofthe socket, and then diminishes toward the base of the insert or I of the base thereof and toward the the annular portion, the compressive the manner- In forcing the insert into the space the socket, the iii-- socket. The variation in elongation thus compensates for the loss ofarea due to the window.

path indicated by rows 40, the flexing characteristic of the deformed insert takes the relative movements between theball and the socket without slippage l5' therewith.- When the longitudinal axis of the between the contacting surfaces of the insert member I0 is tilted with respect to the axis of the member 14, the surface of the ball head follows a I a the arrows l2 and the flexible characteristics, orthe axial elongation, of the elementv 24 around the ball head will permit flexing of'the rubber insert so that there is no slippage between the ballhead and the insert or between the insert; and the socket. The window 22 may be given the members In and, lid in the particular application of applicant's invention. It is desirable that thewindowll be as small as possible and beof sucha shape that the edges defining such window' may extend as closely as possible to the adjacent portions of the memberill without interfering with the. movement thereof. It will be appreciated that the extreme, relative angular positions of the members Ill and ll may be read ilydeterminedand .that the window edge may be given a=shape complementary insize. It will be further appreciated that such window may have any one of a number of diflerent shapes, suchas round; oval, or irregular, depending 'upon the particular application and. design. of the joint of the'present invention. I v

In the method of assembly described above, the insert 24 is placed into the socket and thereafter 1 the-ball'head I2 is forced into the recess N of the insert. It is to be understood that it is also within the contemplation of the present invention that the insert 24 could be forced over the ball head 12 and thereafter the insert, together with the ball head, forced into the socket to the position shown in Fig. 2. importantfe'ature of the shaped rubber insert is. that an insertof that form will be positively located at the desired point and cannot slip or move as a whole on the ball toward'the stemflend thereof.

use of a cup- InFigs..=4 and'5, amodlfled form of the pres ent invention is illustrated in which the integral portion flofthe socket I! is dispensed with so that such socket retains the semi-spherical portion only. The annular edgeof :the socket is formed with an offset. flange ll forming an inner annular shoulder M for the reception of the inner annular edge of a cup-shaped member".

' Such member 48 isprovided with a window 0 and is adapted to be initially positioned as shown in Fig. 4. The flange 5.0 may then be pressed inwardly around the outer annular edge of the member 48 .for securing it with respect tothe semi-spherical portion II and for completing the socket. The parts are assembled by'forcing the ball head into the recess 34, from the position shown in full lines to that shown in broken lines in Fig. hand in a manner described above in connection with Fig. 2 50 that the insert is the desired shape, depending upon the relative movements between.

' formed,- lradially inwardly to the ,positlo'r'i ture shown in-"F11. i1-inthat' the hottomi.

di rt d in t m n of the embodiment above 'ab'e've in connection with Figs. 1 through a. The described. Inthe ass lri -isi rt flmt sockets. areso ,formed on the link H that the tme fl-tb ,firir ly'heldagainstrthe socket windows '22 thereof iacein opposite directions, l6 durinadeformation of the A I rt. JIherea! the-"memberxfi may he.v sptmi bit otherwise dej v '1 as best sho n'in Ifig.-9. "1A'stud 1'4; having a ballhead iljrno ijrited thereon; preferably-"formed t witlrffa'; tapered-portion Whichiszreceived within in Fig. 5 preierably'solthatthe insert 24 I jv oheflof t lletnpered openings" *andis'flsecuredther radially compressed and 9n i theretofpjmeans-ot a. nut? andlock.washer. around the suriace'ot the head.l2. c n-. l8; The stud l'l' corresponds to the'member l tor-of the nail head: ltlthenlet m h t"lSllO above jdescribedand theball head I2 is received s'ulistentially coelucident;withthe-planeJot el withl'nf the socket-HO "inthe same relationmith t m tfl-,'-as1t;does in theembo'dlment (l i respectjto the'rubber insert 2| as in the embodied .j

to thg'fldwribgiaboyg, .t connected 'to'ione of the arms otplate .62 and; mtoillustratesarmodifl c m o he s o -J15 thefother Stud'll-oi that particularilink extends of-tht; in the opposite direction and is connecteditoone cup-shapedinsertu ing lndicatedrat, 51;; l, er theadjacent arms cit-the plate a.: similar greater 'radial thlckness thanin the llhiel't'd links 1 connect theother 'armsotvthe.1plate;,3 scribed-above.flswhenj parts,- a e asse bled" member "with the corresponding adjacent arms there will, therefore, be greater radlalioompres-EQO oi the'plit'te member-"l2 around-the joints-57 1?- zi rthis region attthe'bottomo! element 2P? ;action of the insert *ineach oLtherv so -that. there -;be atc resp ndins r I sockets is such as tha't' described above eethet r reater elon tion orex an icnt cun fth e it will'be-fappreclated that ma relative -m0Vet.-.;I of theballtt frherinsert atthispomt wing'th I mentfhetween the ball head andtthe-socket is Y fore; have. greater. flexibility inQthe Witt-I0! takerr'thi'ouh' tlie flexingcharacteristicsofthe a n't ,m;theeembodimgnt -desollbdihb v f rubber V, Also, in order that there-beno whip-1 in the :1

In the embodiment'described. nboi re', the gen eral shape ot theonter contour otthein er i 1' drive shafts; the link assemblies, "including who senil-spherlealm However; it my b s ood. sti'ldsi'llfl l n i h fl 1 that where a-greater movement in one'dire t ooito are veriafccurately formed. 1 r The accurate r,or-. 1s requiredflian in another,- it would beexped r" matio'n er such assembliesmayebe accomplished: ent 'to giverthe insert-1 othershapes, suc F byfth'e method diagrammaticallyillustrated-in elliptical inztransverse se tion. sucn'yari'gt ns Fig; 4 Such method comprises-hiring; oneot in shape are considered-to be w hm 15$D9,1? .v the 'stud s'i ll lna fixedblbck and -threhdahly',-, the 'presentfinventlon It will BASQDQ unde s o .3 recelvingth'e otherstud 14 in the. end of "an elonthatxtheatermi frubberj as used h l n. =1 d95; vgated rnember "82. Theopposite' end? or such both naturaland synthetic, or ertiflc ah b el '5 "member; fl is' pivotally" connected to ':a-bracket and other tmaterialsthiwl g 1 PPY WQ- PF W fl ',byi'rnea'ns of a pivot-pin", whlch isflxedlyzw ties or detormablenatll ffllf bb j-,,, J {L i secured e-e suitablyfixed member "n rhelink' neterrinz-totfigsh'ito 9,, hBiJQQ 1EQ P-QPF If, I!" ispreferably' initially \rormed or a 'len'gth l entiinvenizion .is lll, l i 99. 9 E 5 slightly less than the desired accurate lengthland joint-construction,uncoupl n 3 1 "F$ 'su'chjliilltf I4 is disposed at a-right angle with iemt ie'pertlculariredantcd to be used. nn t-1 ree e'e teitjhe he erthe lowerstudl l. -A-flx'ed= d v M as y o -e evii l tli stop r'neiril'icl is positioned to erlgag'eone side I m at i m t P -y 91t M and hammer 92 vthen'strikesthe fl' r" m t il ij f t g T opbositeside' sons to el t ls ate the link" ll: Such e Egg- P link-I wi itheretoregbeelongated'l'n relatively-- a 9 F small increments and an indlcator-gange'flfhnin at equallyispacedrs o nt h 713 T en inz laniactuating finger'lsdisposed above the portions of the plates ii and; are indicatedat amijfju close th w ;m Mame, i Ble' As theforward'endofthe 10; respectively smta bly,connegeghthritio a integrally tormedtherewith, Su l at eel-ink Su be em We .arlrn i't is' moved upwardly, due to the elongation" D0Wmpu1mth -shart;,assembl upon rotation the-mammary o orlemngatgon;

thereof ri-ji'rhetrelativesizegor the enatts fandfl v H t p t plates may, of course, varled'to meet partlcu m F 5 $1 3, laidimensions and when used in automobiles, come -1 1 i m 1 met d 1 1? it is quite likely that the shafts would be er a m qg g me 2 m t el ngati and g t sauce may be so" tloned greater as comp with the amp that when a particular reading is indicated lates, than that illustrated in the drawings. p Each er the plate members u and n is protheme the 1111! is then at e r reccurate vided with an opening 12 in each'oi the arms lenlthv thereof. The axes of all 0! suchopeninzs are In this manner, 01 the assemblies y b disposed at an equal and accurate distance Iron: 5 10mm 01 the som ccur te length so that when the center 0! the shafts BI and I0. The plate p are positioned on theplates and 82, as members 6. and i! are adapted .to be positioned rib above. the distance between the centerwith respect to each other so that the respective 113980! h Studs is accurate and p n s j arms thereof are alternately disposed t tor tolerances in the manufacture or the rubber v around as clearly shown in Fin. '1. o Ike universal action lspermitted through The adjacent arms of the plates I and .2 are ball and socket construction,v but there will be adapted to be connected together by allnk ll nowhipinthedriveshstt. which corresponds to the link shove-dose- The hammer action can be replaced by press The link II has 'a socket 16 formed at each end in: progressive warm ng u t of w thereof and is of the construction described l sure elongating thelink in the same manner as Q 4 v the hammer. Also, the link can be shortened by and pressure, reducing its initial length.-

. the

In Fig. 11, another form of link assembly is illustrated which generally corresponds. to the link assembly shown in- .Figs. 7 to 9. Such link assembly includes a stud llli corresponding to the stud 14' above described and having a cylinis assembled the elementis substantiallyreduced in thickness and: to envelop an area on thefsuri'ace ot theiball head'whichis substan-. tially'greater than the interiorarea of said .eiev mentin its tree'state.

drical end I02 in place of the ball head [2. The

end'qi the portion I02 maybe upset-,to provide an annular flange I. The end portion JIM is.

adapted to'bepositioned within a cylindrical eye ill! of a link. lll -corresponding to'the l4 above" described inconnectiom-with the strucmire-"or Figs. 7. to 9. Aic ylindrical rubber insert I "is forced into the space 'betweenthe stud por-ztion 102 :and the eye I06, and suchlinsert' is initially of a-size greater-thansuch space with an internal diameter less than the. diameter, ot

the'p'orticn ill! andan external diameter greater,

than'the' internal diameter of theeye I. Thus,

when the insert is forced into the smaller space. j it is compressed'radially and .expandedaxially so that it has flexing properties in the assembly which permit relative movement between' the.

stud Ill andlink llll. 4 What isclaimed' is: z

1'; A jointtorm'edoi a member havingasocket formed therein and a second member having a ball "head positioned withinsaid socket and spaced' -'from. the walls of said socket, a cup shaped deformable rubber element disposed within'the space betweenthe ball head and said socket; said element in its free. state being voi substantially greater thickness than the space. between said ball head and socket and having an: interior? area substantially less than thearea Jot said ball head enveloped by said element in the.

assembledijoint, so that when said 'joint' is a's- I sernbled the element, is substantially reduced tin thickness and caused to envelop an area-.on'the surface ot the ball head which is substantially greater than'theinterior area 01 said element in itssiree sta e.-- H I :2. ,A joint formed of a memberhaving a socket .iormed therein: and. a 'second'member having a.

ball head positioned within said: socket and spaced from, the walls of said socket; a cupshaped. deformable rubber. "element disposed withinthe space between the ball head and said socket, said. elementin. its free state beingof substantially I, greater thickness than the space I between said ball head and socket and having an interiorfareasubstantially lessthan the area of said .ball head enveloped by said element in they assembled joint and the difference between the thickness otthe element in its1 fre e state and the thickness of said space being greater adjacent w 3. A-iointiormed o! a member having a'socket, a second member having a'stem projecting into 10 said socket and provided with a ball head located withinjthe' socket in spacedlrelationto the walls of the -socket,-the socket-opening 'beingof int I sufllcient to permit passageotithe ball head .but the edges oi said opening beingnormally tree of contact. with said stem; anda cup-shaped de tormable rubber element disposed within the space between'said'ball head andsocketiand ,en- .1 veloping more than a complete hemisphere ot'the' i surface'ot the" ball head, said elem'entin itsiree state being [of substantially greater thickness than the spacebetween said ball head and socket and having an"interior area substantially less than the area ot said ball head enveloped by said element'inthe assembledjoint, so that whensaid joint is'assembled the elementlis substantially reducedin thickness and eaused' toenvelop an area onfthesuriace for the ball head which is substantially greatef'than the interior area of said element in its dree stata 4. A joint'io of the socket, the socket-opening being of insuiiicient sizeto permit passage oi the ball head 3 but the edges' ot saidlopenin'g beingnormally, .free of contact with said stem, and a cup-shaped deformable rubber element'disposedwithin the space. between; said ball head and socket and enveloping more than a complete hemisphere of theisuriacefot the ball head, said element in,

its free state be'ing of substantially greater-thickto envelop an area on the surface oithe ballhead which is substantiallygreater.thanathe-ine terior area of said element-inits:i'ree"state;

c men. at.

lip of said cup-shaped element than .at the I bottom 'oi'saidlemeht, that when said Joint I I 1 ed 0! 'amember-having afsocket, a second member-having a stem projecting into J said socket and provided with a-ball'head located" ,withinjthe socket in spaced relation-to the walls; 

